In retrospect, it might
not have been the best idea to arrive ravenously hungry to brunch in San
Lorenzo’s on Dublin’s South Great George’s Street. My eyes were bigger than my
stomach and fuelled by hunger, I may have over-estimated the amount I could
eat. They don’t call this the #BrunchofChampions without reason but that
didn’t mean that I had to look upon it as a challenge!
Arriving at 10.30am on a
beautiful, sunny Sunday morning just as the restaurant opened its doors, I was
astonished to see how quickly the tables filled up. Granted, the surroundings
are stylishly trendy and have an air of urban chic about them but the
enthusiasm of the prospective diners to place their brunch orders indicated
that this was somewhere that was about more than just being seen in the latest
fashionable spot.
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| Zombie |
San Lorenzo’s has a 75
minute seating time limit which I was informed about when booking my table.
This didn’t present a problem as I had another appointment immediately
afterwards and in fact, I considered this further evidence of the apparent
popularity of the brunch menu – a good sign!
Brunch is one of my
favourite meals; it smacks of rising late and dining in a leisurely fashion
with all manner of sweet and savoury goodies to tempt the taste buds! Experts
tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and we all know
the benefits of eating a balanced diet but sometimes you yearn for something
extravagant and a little bit naughty to eat, especially if suffering the
after-effects of over-indulgence from the night before!
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| Lobster Benedict |
After being seated we
ordered breakfast cocktails to sip on as we decided on what to eat; a Zombie,
made with rum, pineapple juice, passion fruit and Angostura bitters for me and
an Espresso Martini for my friend Eithne. The Zombie, despite being very
boozy was a perfect brunch drink with lovely fruity and refreshing elements but
the Espresso Martini? Well… this was in a league of its own! It was absolutely
superb and with my tendency towards hedonistic excess I find it amazing that I
have never tried one before. It was delicious, easy to drink and a great
pick-me-up; strongly recommended for anyone who loves coffee and even those who
don’t.
The menu has many
tempting dishes on it and we found it hard to choose just one each to order. I
was determined to try the Lobster Benedict but was also finding the allure of
the intriguing sounding Coco Pops Crunchy French Toast hard to resist. In the
end, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I unleashed my inner glutton and
ordered both! Not to be outdone, Eithne decided to go for the Baked Ham followed
by the French Toast Stack.
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| Baked Ham |
At €23.95, the Lobster
Benedict is not cheap but for the quality of the perfectly cooked lobster
alone, this was a dish that was worth every cent. Lobster has a natural
sweetness when cooked well and the accompanying tomato/pepper sauce accentuated
this. Topped with a marie-rose like hollandaise sauce and with some grilled
spears of asparagus, this was a truly decadent dish. Although I’m more used to
eggs benedict served on split and toasted English muffins, I loved the toasted
plain bagels on which the lobster was placed. The chewy texture of the bagels
stood up far better to the wonderfully runny poached ages and the other
elements of the dish than toasted muffins would have. Heavenly!
Eithne’s Baked Ham
consisted of a generous portion of warm sliced baked ham topped with two
poached eggs coated in a buttery hollandaise sauce. Along with some peppery
watercress and grilled asparagus, this was a dish that excelled because of its
simplicity – a dish using quality ingredients which had been flawlessly
prepared and cooked.
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| French Toast Stack |
The French Toast Stack
was made using 4 slices of thickly-sliced rich and buttery brioche which soaked
up the eggy custard in which it was soaked before being fried off. Presented
with 6 slices of crispy, lightly smoked bacon and a plentiful amount of maple syrup,
this dish was a winner.
My When Harry Met Sally moment came upon taking my first bite of the
much anticipated Coco Pops Crunchy French Toast. All I can say is… OH…
MY… GOD…! It was unbelievable! I dread to think how any calories it contained
but it tasted so good. Again brioche (two slices this time) had been soaked in
eggy custard to which Coco Pops had been added before being fried. The bottom
layer was smeared with peanut butter which gave a wonderful nutty saltiness
that was completely addictive. A large blob of lightly whipped cream and some
sliced bananas may have been overkill to some, but I was in a state of profound
ecstasy… oh, and did I mention the chocolate sauce…? The extravagance of this
dish was something to behold, but I loved it – every single mouthful.
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| Coco Pops French Toast |
Needless to say, after
all this excess, I was unable to eat a full meal for nearly two days, but it
was worth it. Lighter dishes are available, but every now-and-again it’s nice
to give in to temptation.
This is not the place to
come to if you want a lazy and languorous meal to ease you into the day. The
music is loud, the tables are placed close together and everything is a little
fast-paced… but the waiting staff are friendly and attentive and the food was
wonderful. I can’t wait to return.
Brunch is served in San
Lorenzo’s on Saturdays, Sundays and most Bank Holidays; 10.30am-3.00pm
San Lorenzo’s
South Great George’s
Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 014789383
Web: www.sanlorenzos.ie
This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie
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| Espresso Martini |
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